clout
KLOUT
/klaʊt/
Influence or power, especially in politics or business.
Often implies raw, practical, and sometimes transactional power that can get things done behind the scenes.
The story behind the word. Originally, a 'clout' was a heavy lump of metal, wood, or leather, which led to the verb meaning 'to strike with a heavy blow.' In early 20th-century Chicago politics, journalists began using 'clout' to describe a politician's ability to deliver a heavy, decisive blow to get things done, transforming a physical strike into a metaphor for political muscle.
Word relationships
- influence: Influence is a broad, gentle term, while clout is more forceful, direct, and often institutional or political.
- pull: Pull is highly informal and refers to personal connections, whereas clout can represent official or systemic power.
- powerlessness: Powerlessness is the complete lack of influence or ability to affect outcomes.
- insignificance: Insignificance is the state of being too small or unimportant to matter.
Commonly confused with
- clout (verb): As a verb, 'clout' historically means to hit someone hard with the hand; as a noun in modern usage, it almost always refers to political or social influence.
Collocations
- political clout
- financial clout
- wield clout
- have clout
Example sentences
- "She used her political clout to secure funding for the new community center." A political analysis of a senator's influence.
Memory hook
A person with clout can deliver a heavy clout (blow) to their opponents in a political fight. Clout is political muscle.
When not to use
Do not use in highly formal, academic, or spiritual contexts; it has a gritty, street-smart, or political connotation.
Fun facts
- The political meaning of 'clout' originated in Chicago in the 1950s.
- In archery, a 'clout' is the target or the center of the target, which is hit with a long-range shot.
Also appears in
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